There is a certain peculiarity of economic statistics that can really help journalists out on a slow news day. The oddity is that they rarely show smooth changes of trend. They tend instead to go up and down erratically from month to month.

China's foreign trade decelerated sharply in April, with both export and import growth falling well short of expectations. That raises fresh concerns about a hard landing for the world's second-largest economy amid weakening global demand.

'We want to work with China to make sure everybody is working by the same rules of the road when it comes to the world economic system. That includes ensuring that there is a balanced trading flow not only between the United States and China but around the world.'

China is now the second-largest market in the world for California-based technology company Apple.

In China, iPhones and iPads are selling faster than hot cakes. According to chief executive Tim Cook, Apple's sales in the country have jumped fourfold over the last 12 months to hit US$4.5 billion in the quarter just ended. That's 16 per cent of the company's worldwide sales.

China posted a much wider than expected trade surplus last month on the back of slower than expected growth in imports, thanks to moderating domestic demand, falling commodities prices and supply chain disruptions caused by Japan's earthquake in March.